The present article aims to demonstrate the significance, necessity and feasibility of improving population policy as well as promoting the family pattern of respecting the aged, caring for the young and intergenerational assistance. Our scientific analyses show that the policy of returning the fertility decision-making to families and encouraging the second birth would not lead to over-growth of population. On the contrary, such policy improvements would be helpful to slow down the quick shrinking of labor resources, face the serious challenges of population ageing, and so on. Our empirical analyses on the "Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey" datasets demonstrat that family pattern of three-generations living together or living nearby may not only improve the health of the elderly but also strengthen the household assistance by older parents to their children to realize the "win-win" outcome. Based on our solid scientific research, we suggest to implement the policy of returning the fertility decision-making to families and encouraging the second birth as soon as possible. We suggest to promote the family pattern of respecting the aged, caring for the young and intergenerational assistance to facilitate national development and the well-being of hundreds of millions of families.

population policy  /  fertility decision-making  /  intergenerational assistance